The mere mention of the date had sent fans racing to launch a Twitter protest campaign earlier this week.

“I don’t foresee a scenario in which millions of people that hope to finally get some conclusion in Lost are pre-empted by the president,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told AP today. He later added, “I assume it’s a big deal at ABC.” No word on when the State of the Union will actually be.

I think it says quite a bit that the public is far more interested in a TV show (that I admit I have never seen) than in what this President has to say. Maybe, just maybe, they’re waking up.